


Titles and Forms of Address In JRR Tolkien's Legendarium

by Certh



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Essays, Gen, Research
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-16 11:49:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5827498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Certh/pseuds/Certh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An in-depth look into the titles and forms of address used in JRR Tolkien's legendarium.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Titles and Forms of Address In JRR Tolkien's Legendarium

**Titles and Forms of Address In JRR Tolkien's Legendarium  
\---**

 

Throughout JRR Tolkien's works we come across many titles and forms of address, both formal and informal. Some are rather straightforward: those are usually the ones that signify a specified function, and there is no confusion as to whom they can be applied. Others may be a bit more complicated in their usage, as the intended meaning of some terms lies in less-used definitions.

  
 

**Titles of Social Rank**  

The most straightforward of titles found in Tolkien's legendarium are those denoting personages of supreme authority: _King_ and _Queen_.

  * A _**King**_ is “a paramount chief”, “the male ruler of an independent state, especially one who inherits the position by right of birth” (cf. [www.merriam-webster.com](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/king); [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/king)):




> _“_ _[Manwë] was appointed to be the vicegerent of Ilúvatar, King of the world of Valar and Elves and Men . . .”  
>  _       The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 1

> _“Finwë was king in Tirion and Olwë in Alqualondë;_ _but I_ _ngwë was ever held the High King of all the Elves.”  
>  _       The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 5

> _“_ _Elendil was the High King and dwelt in the North at Annúminas; and the rule in the South was committed to his sons, Isildur and Anárion.”  
>  _       The Return of the King, Appendix A, I, (i)

 

  * A _**Queen**_ is “the female ruler of an independent state, especially one who inherits the position by right of birth” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/queen)):




> _“[Tar-Ancalimë] was the only child of Tar-Aldarion, and the first Ruling Queen of Númenor_ _.”  
>  _       The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 2, Chapter III 

> _“_ _And Melian was [Thingol's] Queen, wiser than any child of Middle-earth . . .”  
>  _       The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 4

  

Two titles that are perhaps the least straightforward are those of _Prince_ and _Princess_.

  * A _**Prince**_ is nowadays more often than not defined as “the son [or grandson] of a monarch” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/prince)). This, however, is not the original meaning of the word, but one acquired in recent centuries, as, in Great Britain, it was in the early 18 th century that it became “settled practice for all the sovereign’s [male descendants] in the male line . . . to be styled prince . . .”, a practice that was in the beginning of the 20th century limited “to the sovereign’s [sons] and the [sons] of the sovereign’s sons . . .” (cf. [www.britannica.com](http://www.britannica.com/topic/prince-title)).  
Historically, the title _Prince_ was bestowed by a land's supreme ruler upon “a male monarch of a small state, actually, nominally, or originally subject to a king or emperor” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/prince)).  
  
In his legendarium, JRR Tolkien used this original definition of the word: 




> _“_ _[F]ingon prince of Hithlum rode against [Glaurung] . . .”  
>  _       The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 13

Fingon's title of p _rince_ does not denote his status as a son of King Fingolfin, but his being the ruler of the region of Hithlum.  
(Fingolfin became High King of the Noldor in the 5th year of the First Age and died in F.A. 456; Fingon confronted Glaurung in the F.A. 260)  

 

> “ _[T]he green grave of Finrod Finarfin's son, fairest of all the princes of the Elves, remained inviolate, until the land was changed . . .”  
>  _       The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 19

Although a king of the independent realm of Nargothrond, Finrod was still subject to the High King of the Noldor, hence the application of the title _prince_.

 

> _“_ _The people of Lórien were . . . ruled by princes of Sindarin descent. . .”  
>  _       The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 2, Chapter IV

 

> _"Why so, and not Boromir, prince of the City that the sons of Elendil founded?"  
>        _ The Two Towers, Book 4, Chapter V

Being heir to the Stewardship and the future monarch of Gondor, Boromir, as auxiliary ruler during Denethor's reign, was made prince of Minas Tirith.

  * _**P**_ _ **rincess**_ is a title that is nowadays usually taken to mean “the daughter [or granddaughter] of a monarch” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/princess)). As with the term _Prince_ , it was in the early 18th century that it became “settled practice for all the sovereign’s [female descendants] in the male line . . . to be styled . . . princess”, something that afterwards came to apply only “to the sovereign’s [daughters] and the [daughters] of the sovereign’s sons . . .” (cf. [www.britannica.com](http://www.britannica.com/topic/prince-title)).




In the later versions of JRR Tolkien's legendarium, the term _Princess_ occurs once:  

> _“_ _[T]_ _he people began to speak of_ _[_ _Ancalimë_ _Tar-Aldarion's daughter]_ _as Emerwen Aranel, the Princess Shepherdess.”  
>  _       The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 2, Chapter II

In this case, _Princess_ is the closest one-word translation of the Quenya noun _aranel_ , a word that literally means _king's daughter_ (from the word _aran_ =king and the feminine patronymic suffix _-el_ ).

As Tolkien used the original, title-of-office, definition for  _Prince_ throughout his legendarium, the term _Princess_ is to be viewed in the same light: a title denoting “the female monarch of a small state, actually, nominally, or originally subject to a king or emperor” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/princess)).

 

Like _Prince_ and _Princess_ , _Lord_ and _Lady_ are titles denoting power and authority.

  * _**Lord**_ is a title and form of address used for “a person who has power or authority over others, such as a monarch or master”; “a feudal superior, especially the master of a manor” (cf. [www.collinsdictionary.com](http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/lord)):




> _“_ _Ulmo is the Lord of Waters . . . [A]ll seas, lakes, rivers, fountains and springs are in his government . . ._ _Ossë is a vassal of Ulmo . . ._ _”  
>  _       The Silmarillion, Valaquenta 

> _“_ _Erkenbrand [was] Lord of Deeping-coomb and of much other land in Westfold . . .”  
>  _       The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 3, Chapter V, Appendix (i) 

> “ _[Elrond] was the Lord of Rivendell . . .”  
>  _       The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 2, Chapter I

As owners of land, Erkenbrand and Elrond are lords.

 

> _“_ _[I] am Aragorn, Arathorn’s son, Isildur’s Heir, Lord of the Dúnedain . . ._ _”  
>  _       The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter II

Being the leader of the Dúnedain, Aragorn is rightfully a lord.  
  
 

Apart from being a title of social status, _lord_ is used to denote “a husband considered as head of the household” (cf. [www.collinsdictionary.com](http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/lord)):

> _“[Rían wife of Huor] could hear no news of her lord, she became distraught and wandered forth into the wild alone . . . I must go in search of Huor, my lord.”  
>  _       The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 1, Chapter I

 

  * _**Lady**_ is a title and form of address used for “a woman with proprietary rights and authority, as over a manor” (cf. [www.collinsdictionary.com](http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/lady)): 




> _“The Lady Arwen was there.”  
>  _       The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 2, Chapter I

With her mother gone, and her father being the Lord of the valley, Arwen is by right the Lady of Rivendell.

 

> _“You feel the power of the Lady of the Galadhrim . . .”  
>  _       The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 2, Chapter VI

As the female ruler of Lothlórien, Galadriel is a Lady (and a Queen in all but name). 

 

> _“Let the heralds announce to the folk that the Lady Éowyn will lead them!”  
>  _       The Two Towers, Book 3, Chapter VI

Acting as ruler and leader to the people of Rohan in the absence of the King and his heir, in addition to her administrative role in household matters in the absence of a queen, Éowyn is a Lady.  
   
  


Apart from being a title of social status, _lady_ is used as “an informal name for wife” (cf. [www.collinsdictionary.com](http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/lady)):

> _“_ _There my pretty lady is, River-woman’s daughter . . .”_  
>        The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, Chapter VI

  
* It is noteworthy that nowhere in the latter drafts and versions of his legendarium does JRR Tolkien use the forms of address ( _Your_ _)_ _Highness_ , ( _Your_ _)_ _Majesty_ , etc.  
The absence of peerage titles such as _Duke_ , _Earl_ , _Baron_ , etc in the Professor's writings is also notable, suggesting that such social ranks do not exist in Arda.

 

**Military Titles  
  
**

  * _**Marshal**_ is the title given to “an officer of the highest rank in the armed forces of some countries” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/marshal)): 




> _“Marshal of the Mark (or Riddermark) was the highest military rank and the title of the King's lieutenants (originally three), commanders of the royal forces of fully equipped and trained Riders.”  
>  _       The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 3, Chapter V, Appendix (i) 

> _“Grimbold was a lesser marshal of the Riders of West-mark in Théodred's command . . .”  
>  _       The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 3, Chapter V, Appendix (ii)

 

  * _**Captain**_ is “a rank of officer in the army . . . above lieutenant and below major”; or “rank of naval officer above commander and below commodore” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/captain)):




> _“_ _[V]_ _ëantur_ _[was the]_ _Captain of the King's Ships under Tar-Elendil . . .”  
>  _       The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 2, Chapter II

This citation indicates that, in Númenor, at least, _Captain of the King's Ships_ was equivalent to _Admiral of the Fleet_.  
(for the ranks of naval officers, cf. [www.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_comparative_military_ranks))        

 

> _“. . . a 'full éored' in battle order was reckoned to contain not less than 120 men (including the Captain) . . .”  
>  _       The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 3, Chapter II, (iv) 

> _“If you_ _[i.e., Éowyn]_ _had not been chosen, then some marshal or captain would have been set in the same place . . .”  
>  _       The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter II

This citation seems suggest that the military rank below _Marshal_ in Rohan was that of _Captain_ ; i.e., the ranks of _Major_ , _Colonel_ , etc did not exist.  
(for the ranks of army officers, cf. [www.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_comparative_military_ranks))

 

  * _**Captain-General**_ is the title given to “the commander in chief of an army . . . [or] of the militia” (cf. [www.merriam-webster.com](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/captain%20general)):  
  
_“_ _[B]_ _oromir son of Denethor was High Warden of the White Tower, and our Captain-General . . .”  
_       The Two Towers, Book 5, Chapter IV




 

  
  
**Titles of Office  
  
**

  * _**Steward**_ is a title given to “an officer of the royal household, especially an administrator of Crown estates” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/steward)):




> _“One who knows your mind and honours your commands should be left in Edoras. Appoint a faithful steward.”  
>  _       The Two Towers, Book 3, Chapter VI 

> _“[T]he office of Steward rose in importance and became hereditary, providing as it were a permanent "understudy" to the King, and an immediate viceroy at need . . .”  
>  _       The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 4, Chapter III

 

  * _**Lieutenant**_ is the title given to “a deputy or substitute acting for a superior”; or, in the military, “a rank of officer . . . above second lieutenant and below captain” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/lieutenant)). In his works, Tolkien used the first definition of the noun: 




> _“_ _That stronghold was commanded by Sauron, lieutenant of Melkor; and it was named Angband.”  
>  _       The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 3  
>    
>  _“_ _[Saruman] acquired the keys of Orthanc in 2759, nominally as warden of the tower and lieutenant of the Stewards of Gondor.”_  
>        The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 4, Chapter III 

> _“The Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dûr he was . . .”  
>  _       The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter X

The term _l_ _ieutenant_ in its military sense does not occur in Tolkien's texts, suggesting that it did not exist as such in Middle-earth.

 

  * _**C**_ _ **hieftain**_ is the title given to “the leader of a people or clan” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/chieftain)):




> _“[L]organ was held the chieftain of the Easterlings . . .”  
>  _         The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 1, Chapter I  

> _“[T]he line of the kings was continued by the Chieftains of the Dúnedain . . .”  
>  _         The Return of the King, Appendix A, I, (iii)

 

  * A _**Warden**_ is “a person responsible for the supervision of a particular place or activity or for enforcing the regulations associated with it” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/warden)):




> _“[I] will deliver you to the Warden of the Great Gate.”  
>  _         The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 1, Chapter I  

> _“Aragorn and Gandalf went now to the Warden of the Houses of Healing . . .”  
>  _         The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter VIII

 

 

**Titles of Courtesy  
  
**

  * _**Mister**_ is “a title used before a man's name or names or before some office that he holds” (cf. [www.collinsdictionary.com](http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/mr)):




> _“_ _[M]_ _r. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday . . .”  
>  _ _“[M]r. Frodo is as nice a young hobbit as you could wish to meet.”  
>  _         The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, Chapter I

 

  * _**Master**_ is a title denoting a “man in authority, such as the head of a household, the employer of servants, or the owner of slaves or animals”; or “a man of high rank or learning”. It is also “used as a title prefixed to the name of a boy not old enough to be called ‘Mr’”; and “an archaic equivalent of Mr” (cf. [www.collinsdictionary.com](http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/master); [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/master)): 




> _“Eldest first, or quickest first? You’ll be last either way, Master Peregrin.”  
>  _         The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, Chapter V

Being a tween and not yet considered an adult during the War of the Ring, Pippin is called _Master Peregrin_.  

 

> _“I was not asleep, Master Elrond.”  
>  _         The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 2, Chapter I

The title here marks Elrond as the head of his household and a loremaster.  

 

> _“ ‘Come, Master Meriadoc!’ [Théoden] said.”_  
>          The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter III

 

Apart from being a title of courtesy, _Master_ is used to denote “a skilled practitioner of a particular art or activity” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/master)):

> _“_ _[T]he Sindar called [the Dwarves] . . . Masters of Stone. ”  
>  _         The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter X

 

  * _**Mistress**_ is a title denoting the “female head of a household”, the “female employer of domestic staff”. It is also “used as a title prefixed to the name of a married woman” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/mistress)):




> _“_ _[T]_ _hat’s more likely when Mistress Lobelia’s the buyer.”  
>  _         The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, Chapter III 

> _“_ _Mrs. Maggot brought out beer in a huge jug . . .”  
>  _         The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, Chapter IV

The title here marks Lobelia Sackville-Baggins and Mrs. Maggot as married women and the female heads of their respective households.

 

> _“_ _[T]_ _he_ _[_ _women_ _of the household]_ _were chary of their speech to the child, fearing their mistress . . .”_  
>          The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part 2, Chapter II

 

  
Apart from being a title of courtesy, _Mistress_ is used to denote “a woman who is skilled in a particular subject or activity” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/mistress)): 

> “ _[T]he Mistress of Magic who dwells in the Golden Wood . . .”  
>  _         The Two Towers, Book 4, Chapter V

 

  * _**M**_ _ **iss**_ is the title “prefixed to the name of an unmarried woman or girl” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/miss#nav2)):




> _“_ _[_ _M_ _]_ _iss Melilot Brandybuck got on a table . . .”  
>  _         The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, Chapter I

 

  * _**Sir**_ is a form of address “used as a polite or respectful way of addressing a man, especially one in a position of authority” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/sir)): 




> _“ ‘It is kingsfoil, Sir,’ [Bergil] said [to Aragorn]. . .”  
>  _         The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter VII 

> _“ ‘Sir,’ [Éowyn] said [to the Warden of the Houses of Healing], ‘I am in great unrest . . .’ ”  
>  _         The Return of the King, Book 6, Chapter V

 

  * _**Goodman**_ is an archaic form of address for “a man not of gentle birth” (cf. [www.collinsdictionary.com](http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/goodman)):




> _“Here at least is_ my _sword, goodman Háma.”  
>  _         The Two Towers, Book 3, Chapter VI

 

  * _**Dame**_ is an archaic form of address for “an elderly or mature woman” (cf. [www.oxforddictionaries.com](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/dame)): 




> _“And now, dame, if you love the Lord Faramir, run as quick as your tongue and get me kingsfoil . . .”  
>  _         The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter VIII 

* * *

   
**Sources:**  
[www.merriam-webster.com  
](http://www.merriam-webster.com/)[www.oxforddictionaries.com  
](http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/)[www.collinsdictionary.com  
](http://www.collinsdictionary.com/)[www.britannica.com  
](http://www.britannica.com/)[www.wikipedia.org](http://www.wikipedia.org/)  
JRR Tolkien, _The Silmarillion  
_ JRR Tolkien, _The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth  
_ JRR Tolkien, _The Lord of the Rings_ _  
_ JRR Tolkien, _The History of Middle-earth_


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